BeSpoke: The Smart Blog

Peek into the world of annual reports and venture beyond.

Primarily born from the pages of comic books, superheroes have gained blockbuster stardom. From Iron Man to Spiderman and Batman to Wonder Woman, superheroes are widely discussed, admired and imitated. While a few readers and viewers find the genre unappealing, others fall deeper and deeper in love with characters, following the release of each new film.

Thought leadership is an equally fascinating concept and also somewhat illusive. A company weblog or even a personal one is the ideal space to display superhero prowess, as we are called upon to be thought leaders. But what qualities should a thought leader possess? We discovered that superheroes are thought leaders in their own right, so brace yourself for a lesson on heroism and thought leadership!

Lesson #1: “I shouldn’t be alive, unless it was for a reason. I know what I have to do, and I know it is right” – Iron Man
Superheroes fight against all odds to protect what is good and find solutions to impossible problems. Whichever field you represent, to be a thought leader you too have to seek answers for multiple questions and solve surmounting problems. Research is mandatory in this regard. So, use your company blog or your personal one to disclose your findings and suggest solutions for a problem you hope to solve.

Lesson #2: “No one can win every battle but no man should fall without a struggle” – Spiderman
While being goal driven, thought leadership should also focus on the process. The process is deemed to be a struggle and in focusing on the difficulties of achieving a goal, you inspire your audience to also try. Innovation in the modern world is one that is filled with trial and error. It is this that makes the final product more beautiful. So, as a thought leader it is your responsibility to communicate the process of product or idea generation while also discussing the impeccable outcome.

Lesson #3: “A hero can be anyone even a man doing something as simple and reassuring as putting a coat around a little boy’s shoulder to let him know that the world hadn’t ended” – Batman
Today, we hunger for inspiration whether it is in the form of a quote or a TED talk. Thought leaders are inspirational and charismatic. Their words might give you sufficient courage to tackle a work-related problem or simply make you smile or laugh at the end of a difficult day. Use your blogging space to continuously inspire!

Lesson #4: “When you decide not to be afraid, you can find friends in super unexpected places” – Ms. Marvel
Thought leadership is more often than not a collaborative effort. It is rare for an idea or product to be single-handedly produced or generated. So, the blog of a thought leader will acknowledge the efforts of all those who collaborated. After all, the ‘Avengers’ wouldn’t be half as thrilling if not for collaboration.

“Faster than a speeding bullet, more powerful than a locomotive, able to leap tall buildings in a single bound…” You would think that the feats of superheroes cannot be easily replicated in the world of blogging. But take heart as Batman says “a hero can be anyone…”